Texas Supreme Court

Wendy Davis Aims to Restrict Seizure of Private Land for Pipelines -- But Not the Keystone

You'd think in this state, property rights would be the inviolable bedrock around which damn near everything else revolves. You'd think eminent domain, the taking of private property for public use, would be invoked only when the common benefit of a railroad, a highway or a pipeline is so undeniable ... More >>

The Texas Supreme Court is Deciding How Much Your Pet is Worth

Three years ago, Jeremy and Kathryn Medlen's dog, Avery, escaped from their Fort Worth home during a thunderstorm. They learned a few days later from Fort Worth Animal Control that Avery had been found safe and was in the custody of the city shelter. But by the time the family arrived to claim their ... More >>

Johnson County Landowners Accuse Chesapeake Energy of Skimming Shale Gas Royalties

A family of Johnson County landowners is suing Chesapeake, the country's second-largest natural gas company, for allegedly cheating them out of royalties. Their lawyer, Dallas-based attorney James Holmes, says they can thank endlessly indulgent Texas laws and a taxing authority more inclined to look ... More >>

Fort Worth Senator Wendy Davis Wants to Use Strip Club Tax to Pay for Untested Rape Kits

Fort Worth Senator Wendy Davis announced this week that she'll be teaming up with the Texas Department of Public Safety to remind state law enforcement agencies, once again, that a new law requires them to report how many untested rape kits they have in evidence. At the same time, she announced the ... More >>

With Billy Allen's Compensation, Relief Begins for Exonerees Without the DNA Silver Bullet

Billy Frederick Allen served 26 years in prison for two drug-related murders in University Park. In February 2009, the Court of Criminal Appeals in Austin freed him, citing ineffective lawyering and "newly discovered evidence" that gave them "no confidence in the outcome of the trial." In March 201 ... More >>

Sucking Up Water and Sand in the Quest for Natural Gas

For folks in the sandy hills northwest of Dallas, it's a devil's bargain for gas, water and jobs.

Why Won't the State Pay Billy Allen For His Time In Prison -- Or Should It?

​In the spirit of this week's cover on the exoneree compensation scheme and the attorneys who've profited handsomely from it, we submit the case of Billy Frederick Allen -- a man incarcerated for nearly 26 years for two apparently drug-related University Park murders. In February 2009, the Cou ... More >>

City to Discuss What to Do After State Supremes Razed the Reason for Tearing Down House

​Behind closed doors this afternoon, the back-to-work Dallas City Council will be briefed by city attorneys on a handful of lawsuits, all of which we're quite familiar with: City of Dallas v. Museum of the American Railroad (which, last we looked, is close to being settled); Marcus Wood, et al. v. ... More >>

Texas Supreme Court Says Dallas Erred When It Razed House, Even If It Was a "Nuisance"

Nine justices deliver three written opinions over one torn-down Dallas house.​As we were heading out the door Friday, the Supreme Court of Texas handed down opinions in two local cases, one of which we've written about before but neither of which is the "billion-dollar case" still awaiting a resul ... More >>

State Supremes Say Dallas PD Doesn't Have to Pay Tow Company For Seizing, Selling Its Cars

​Speaking of the Supremes ...In January 2010 we listened in as the Supreme Court of Texas heard oral arguments in the case of City of Dallas. v. VSC, LLC, which is now close to a decade old. To sum up: In '02, tow company VSC was in possession of 326 the Dallas Police Department said had been "rep ... More >>

Dawn Rizos, Newt's Favorite Strip Club Owner, Welcomes the Latest "Pole Tax" Setback

Dawn Rizos: "I think they're saying we exploit women somehow." ​Around lunchtime yesterday, Dawn Rizos was walking through The Lodge, the Spangler Road strip club she owns, when her adult daughter handed her a freshly printed-out copy of this Texas Tribune story. Supporters of the so-called "Pole ... More >>

Liberty Institute's Still Working Hard to Keep Gay Dallas Couple From Getting a Divorce

Attorney Pete Schulte and the petitioner still known as J.B. on The Daily Show last year​Surely you recall the case of J.B. and H.B., two Dallas men who went to Massachusetts to marry in 2006, only to separate two years later and then try to get a divorce. In October 2009, Judge Tena Callahan gav ... More >>

State Rep. Giddings Wants School Districts to Stop Treating Students Like Criminals

​A couple of weeks back Texas Appleseed and ACLU of Texas reps were down in Austin asking why oh why do state school districts feel the need to write class C misdemeanor tickets to students, some as young as 6, in the case of the Dallas Independent School District back in '06-'07. John Whitmire's ... More >>

One Week Before the Wet-Dry Referendum, Caraway Insists: "We've Turned up the Volume"

​Several Friends have asked, privately, in recent days: Whatever happened to Mayor Pro Tem Dwaine Caraway's threat to drown Keep the Dollars in Dallas? As you may recall, when it came time for the council to call the election that will allow the off-premise sale of beer and wine citywide, Caraway ... More >>

How Come Lawyer Against Beer, Wine Vote Didn't Pop Top on Case in State Supreme Court?

Andy Siegel​A Friend of Unfair Park was saying only yesterday he hadn't heard much in recent weeks about the upcoming vote to get Dallas wet from folks for or against the off-premise sale of beer and wine citywide. Which reminded me: Whatever happened to election foe Andy Siegel's plan to take his ... More >>

Court of Appeals Tosses Writ Opposing Beer, Wine Vote. Next Stop: Texas Supreme Court!

Flickr user: Robert Hruzek​When I called earlier this afternoon, no one in the City Attorney's Office had yet seen the freshly minted copy of Judge Elizabeth Lang-Miers's opinion in which the 5th District Court of Appeals tossed out attorney Andy Siegel's writ of mandamus filed on July 2. So, at t ... More >>

Hao Liu, Can You Go? Texas Supreme Court Demands Dallas Man Stop Playing Lawyer.

Harvey Birdman's more of an attorney than Hao Liu.​Hao Liu is not an attorney. He's never been an attorney, nor a member of the State Bar of Texas. He's also not in law school. Never has been to law school. Hard to say what he does -- except, that is, tie up Dallas courts with frivolous lawsuits.U ... More >>

City Isn't Scared Of Those Lawsuits Filed Yesterday By Firefighters, Police Officers

Patrick MichelsDallas City Attorney Tom Perkins​Yesterday, you'll recall, those firefighters, police officers and assorted other first responders filed four amended lawsuits related to the 1979 referendum that gave 'em all pay raises (for how long's the billion-dollar question). We're still waitin ... More >>

As City Awaits Ruling in "Billion-Dollar Case," New Lawsuits Were Just Added to the Pile

Joe Betzel, one of the Dallas Fire-Rescue workers who filed suit against the city -- yet again -- today​Back in December we wrote a few items about the so-called "billion-dollar case" currently being considered by the Supreme Court of Texas. Very long story way too short: It stems from a 1979 refe ... More >>

David Wins $51 Million in Case v. Goliath: Tarrant County Jury Rules for Couple That Spent Years Fighting Perry Homes

Bob Perry​Now this is breaking news. By now, surely you know the story of Bob and Jane Cull, which has been around for a decade -- when the twosome sued Perry Homes, claiming their house in Mansfield went to hell shortly after they bought it for $233,730 in 1996. At almost every turn, folks found ... More >>

Wine, Wine, Wine (Beer Too): Once More, a Petition Push to Make All of Dallas Wet

Flickr user: lopolis​A little while ago, Rudy Bush posted an item about a new push to allow beer and wine sales citywide, thus eliminating the so-called "dry" parts of town in which booze can't be sold for off-site consumption. Big news, to be sure, but also old news: I called Gary Huddleston, the ... More >>

"Pole Tax" Dances Into Texas Supreme Court

Last spring, The Lodge made a big show of presenting the state with a big check that's been sitting in escrow ever since.​As you no doubt recall, the state of Texas has been trying for years to find a way to make its so-called "pole tax" stick. The first time around, a judge slapped down the $5-pe ... More >>

City, Tow and Storage Company's Attorneys Square Off In Supreme Court of Texas

A scene from our new favorite Internet short film: City of Dallas v. VSC, LLC​As mentioned Monday, the city had one of its attorneys -- in this case, Charles Estee, joined by one of the state's lawyers -- down in Austin yesterday presenting oral arguments before the Supreme Court of Texas in a lon ... More >>

A Lawsuit For the Taking: The City's Back at the Supreme Court of Texas in the Morning

​While we await the Supreme Court of Texas's ruling in the city's so-called billion-dollar case later this year, let's consider another city of Dallas case going before the court at 9 a.m. sharp tomorrow: City of Dallas. v. VSC, LLC. The court will hear oral arguments in the years-old suit that ha ... More >>

Interested in Boning Up on Dallas's Old Vices? Then the Library's Got Just the File For You.

​I went over to the Dallas Public Libraries' Texas/Dallas History & Archives Division Web site in search of something entirely unrelated to this post. (Hint: It has to do with this photo taken by our pal Justin Terveen.) There, I noticed that the department was still in the process of updating ... More >>

Both Sides of the City of Dallas's "Billion-Dollar Lawsuit" State Their Case

​No doubt you'll hear plenty more about the city's billion-dollar lawsuit between now and the spring or summer of 2010, when the Supreme Court of Texas rules on whether the city is immune from rescue workers' claims stemming from a 1979 referendum concerning pay raises and two subsequent lawsuits ... More >>

Before the Supreme Court of Texas, a Question: What's a Dallas Referendum Really Worth?

​We kicked off yesterday by previewing Dallas's "billion-dollar" case before the Supreme Court of Texas: City of Dallas v . Kenneth Albert, a 13-year-old consolidated suit involving hundreds of firefighters demanding thousands in back pay. The city says it's immune from being sued; the attorneys o ... More >>

Today, Texas Supreme Court Hears Oral Arguments in City's "Billion-Dollar Case"

​Exactly 30 years ago last January, Dallas voters passed a measure that gave a 15 percent pay raise to police officers, fire fighters and rescue workers; included in the ordinance was a caveat that there would remain in place a "pay differential between the grades in the sworn ranks." Which was fi ... More >>

State Judicial Conduct Commission Accuses Judge Sharon Keller of "Incompetence," Discrediting Judiciary

Judge Sharon KellerSo, back to Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Sharon Keller. But only because there's breaking news this afternoon: The Austin American-Statesman's gotten hold of a notice of formal proceedings from the State Commission on Judicial Conduct, which says that "Judge Keller's willful an ... More >>

Texas Mutual Says Thanks, But No Thanks, to State Oversight

Texas’ leading workers’ comp insurer says we don’t need courts and juries watching over them. Yeah, right.

Breaking News: Per Texas Supreme Court, FLDS Kids Could Go Home

Pix of a Polygamist Smooch Is Worth a Thousand Icks

An Unprecedented Peek into the Life of the FLDS, Courtesy Portfolio

FLDS Mothers Respond to State's Response in Texas Supreme Court

Scarlet letter

Church of Buzzery preaches, "Trust no one."

USA! USA!

We're 2-0 in the courts

Neener, Neener, Neener

Texas Supreme Court sides with satire and the Dallas Observer

Repressed

Arlington says Hooters threatens its moral fabric. Wait, what year is this again?

Letters, Week of November 1

Another Bad Apple, Don't Believe the Hoax, Save the Forest

Courtly Language

Dallas lawyer Bryan Garner cuts through the muck of legal prose

Homefryin' with Fred Baron

Dallas' largest plaintiff's firm, Baron & Budd, cultivates friends, punishes enemies and beats allegations it prompts clients to lie and win

Letters

Eyes wide shut; Vigilante justice; Long live the queen; And more

Impossible dreamer

Fearless reformer or legal terrorist? Bobby Wightman-Cervantes makes a run for the Senate. The Texas Bar says he should have his head examined.

Low-octane litigation

A conservative court and a hardball corporation have gutted plaintiffs' claims in the Kaufman County pipeline explosion case

Buzz

Judge Candace Tyson's bad reputation; Bell's wrong number

Letters

Buzz

Toxic Justice

Lawyer Fred Baron says he's one of the good guys, fighting a war against evil asbestos manufacturers. But some former employees claim his firm is a factory that mass-produces lawsuits by implanting memories and inventing testimony.

Buzz

Rough road ahead

NAFTA road warriors fight it out for federal funding